Christopher Merrick Hughes (born 3 March 1954, London, England), also known as Merrick, is a British music producer, songwriter, and former drummer of

Adam and the Ants Adam and the Ants were an English Rock music, rock band that formed in London in 1977. The band existed in two versions, both fronted by Adam Ant, between 1977 and 1982. The first phase began when the band were founded in May 1977 and were call ...

. Best known as producer of

Tears for Fears Tears for Fears are an English pop rock band formed in Bath in 1981 by Curt Smith and Roland Orzabal. Founded after the dissolution of their first band, the mod-influenced Graduate, Tears for Fears were associated with the synth-pop bands o ...

' ''

Songs from the Big Chair ''Songs from the Big Chair'' is the second studio album by the English pop rock band Tears for Fears, released on 25 February 1985 by Phonogram Records/Mercury Records. The follow-up to the band's successful debut album, ''The Hurting'' (1983), ' ...

'', and as the co-writer of "

Everybody Wants to Rule the World "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" is a song by the English pop rock band Tears for Fears from their second studio album ''Songs from the Big Chair'' (1985). It was written by Roland Orzabal, Ian Stanley, and Chris Hughes and produced by Hug ...

", Hughes has a joint background as a musician, songwriter and producer. His career began with

as drummer and producer of the "

Cartrouble "Cartrouble" is a song by Adam and the Ants, released as a single in March 1980 on Do It Records. It peaked at number 33 on the UK Singles Chart. Though usually stylised as one word, the title has also appeared as two separate words (for exampl ...

" and "

Kings of the Wild Frontier ''Kings of the Wild Frontier'' is the second album by English new wave band Adam and the Ants. It was released on 17 September 1980 by CBS Records in the UK and Epic Records internationally. The album was the UK number 1 selling album in 19 ...

" singles, then the ''

'' album. Yielding three hit singles, the album earned Hughes ''

Music Week ''Music Week'' is a trade publication for the UK record industry distributed via a website and a monthly print magazine. It is published by Future. History Founded in 1959 as ''Record Retailer'', it relaunched on 18 March 1972 as ''Music We ...

''s 'Producer of the Year Award'.

Life and career

Hughes was educated at

Emanuel School Emanuel School is a private, co-educational day school in Battersea, south-west London. The school was founded in 1594 by Anne Sackville, Lady Dacre and Queen Elizabeth I and today occupies a 12-acre (4.9 ha) site close to Clapham Junction ...

in London, and was a member of Adam and the Ants, also producing their albums, ''

'' and ''

Prince Charming Prince Charming is a fairy tale stock character archetype who comes to the rescue of a damsel in distress and must engage in a quest to liberate her from an evil spell. This classification suits most heroes of a number of traditional folk tales ...

''. Hughes was awarded ''

''’s "Producer of the Year" award for his work on the album, ''Kings of the Wild Frontier''. He co-wrote

' hit song "

", and produced their first two albums, the platinum-selling ''

The Hurting ''The Hurting'' is the debut studio album by the English pop rock band Tears for Fears, released on 7 March 1983 by Mercury Records, and distributed by Phonogram Inc. The album peaked at No. 1 on the UK Albums Chart in its second week of release ...

'' and the multi-platinum ''

''. He began working with the band again on their third album, ''

The Seeds of Love ''The Seeds of Love'' is the third studio album by English pop rock band Tears for Fears, released on 25 September 1989 by Fontana Records. It retained the band's epic sound while incorporating influences ranging from jazz and soul to Beatlesque ...

'', but left the project due to creative differences. Hughes also produced

the Electric Soft Parade The Electric Soft Parade are an English psychedelic pop band from Brighton, comprising brothers Alex and Thomas White, the creative core of the band, as well as a number of other musicians with whom they record and perform live, most recentl ...

's debut album, '' Holes in the Wall'', which was nominated for the

Mercury Prize The Mercury Prize, formerly called the Mercury Music Prize, is an annual Music award, music prize awarded for the best album released by a musical act from the Music of the United Kingdom, United Kingdom or Music of Ireland, Ireland. It was cre ...

, and

Propaganda Propaganda is communication that is primarily used to influence or persuade an audience to further an agenda, which may not be objective and may be selectively presenting facts to encourage a particular synthesis or perception, or using loaded l ...

's ''

1234 Year 1234 ( MCCXXXIV) was a common year starting on Sunday (full calendar displayed in the link) of the Julian calendar. Events By place Europe * King Canute II of Sweden ("the Tall") dies after a five-year reign. His rival, Eric XI (" ...

''. Hughes was also a member of

Dalek I Love You Dalek I Love You were a synthpop group from the Wirral, England. At various points in their existence, the band was also known as Dalek I. Record executives at Phonogram shortened the band's name without telling them for the "Freedom Fight ...

and co-produced Peter Gabriel's "

Red Rain Blood rain or red rain is a phenomenon in which blood is perceived to fall from the sky in the form of rain. Cases have been recorded since Homer's ''Iliad'', composed approximately 8th century BC, and are widespread. Before the 17th century it ...

". In February 1994, Hughes released ''Shift'', his first solo album, which was re-released in July 2008. ''Shift'' was a tribute to American

minimalist In visual arts, music, and other media, minimalism is an art movement that began in the post-war era in western art. The movement is often interpreted as a reaction to abstract expressionism and modernism; it anticipated contemporary post-mi ...

composer,

Steve Reich Stephen Michael Reich ( ; born October 3, 1936) is an American composer best known as a pioneer of minimal music in the mid to late 1960s. Reich's work is marked by its use of repetitive figures, slow harmonic rhythm, and canons. Reich descr ...

. In 1972, Hughes' father took him to London to see Reich's performance of ''

Drumming Drumming may refer to: * the act of playing the drums or other percussion instruments * Drummer, a musician who plays a drum, drum kit, or drums * ''Drumming'' (Reich), a musical composition written by Steve Reich in 1971 for percussion ensemble ...

''. Hughes credits Reich as a driving influence in his career. ''Shift'' uses fragments of Reich's work and "subjects it to subtle manipulations using the technology of recorded sound". At db records, Hughes worked on the early development of

Tom McRae Jeremy Thomas McRae Blackall (born 19 March 1969), better known by his stage name Tom McRae, is an English singer-songwriter. Career The son of two Church of England vicars, McRae sang in the church choir and as a teen experimented with his ...

and

, producing debut albums that were both nominated for a

Mercury Music Prize The Mercury Prize, formerly called the Mercury Music Prize, is an annual Music award, music prize awarded for the best album released by a musical act from the Music of the United Kingdom, United Kingdom or Music of Ireland, Ireland. It was cre ...

. Hughes has worked with many artists including: Adam and the Ants,

Def Leppard Def Leppard are an English Rock music, rock band formed in Sheffield in 1977. Since 1992, the band has consisted of Rick Savage (bass, backing vocals), Joe Elliott (lead vocals), Rick Allen (drummer), Rick Allen (drums), Phil Collen (guitar, ...

Robert Plant Robert Anthony Plant (born 20 August 1948) is an English singer and songwriter. He was the lead singer and lyricist of the rock band Led Zeppelin from its founding in 1968 until their breakup in 1980. Since then, he has had a successful solo ca ...

Paul McCartney Sir James Paul McCartney (born 18 June 1942) is an English singer, songwriter and musician who gained global fame with the Beatles, for whom he played bass guitar and the piano, and shared primary songwriting and lead vocal duties with John ...

Peter Gabriel Peter Brian Gabriel (born 13 February 1950) is an English singer, songwriter, musician, and human rights activist. He came to prominence as the original frontman of the rock band Genesis. He left the band in 1975 and launched a solo career wit ...

Ric Ocasek Richard Theodore Otcasek (March 23, 1944 – September 15, 2019), known as Ric Ocasek ( ), was an American musician, singer, songwriter, and record producer. He was the primary vocalist, rhythm guitarist, songwriter, and frontman for the America ...

, Wang Chung, Tom McRae, the Electric Soft Parade,

, Howard Jones,

Lloyd Cole Lloyd Cole (born 31 January 1961) is an English singer, songwriter and musician. He was lead vocalist of Lloyd Cole and the Commotions from 1984 to 1989 and subsequently worked solo. Early life Cole was born in Buxton, Derbyshire, England. He ...

Jon Bon Jovi John Francis Bongiovi Jr. (born March 2, 1962), known professionally as Jon Bon Jovi, is an American singer, songwriter, guitarist, and actor. He is best known as the founder and Lead vocalist, frontman of the rock band Bon Jovi, which was fo ...

Tori Amos Tori Amos (born Myra Ellen Amos; August 22, 1963) is an American singer-songwriter and pianist. She is a classically trained musician with a mezzo-soprano vocal range. Having already begun composing instrumental pieces on piano, Amos won a full ...

Enya Eithne Pádraigín Ní Bhraonáin (born 17 May 1961; anglicised as Enya Patricia Brennan) known mononymously as Enya, is an Irish singer and composer. With an estimated equivalent of over 80 million albums sold worldwide, Enya is the best-selli ...

(Eithne Ní Bhraonáin),

Moya Brennan Moya Brennan (born Máire Philomena Ní Bhraonáin on 4 August 1952), also known as Máire Brennan, is an Irish folk singer, songwriter, harpist, and philanthropist. She is the sister of the musical artist known as Enya. She began performing pr ...

(Máire Ní Bhraonáin) the voice of

Clannad Clannad () were an Irish band formed in 1970 in Gweedore, County Donegal, by siblings , and (Moya) (in English, Brennan) and their twin uncles Noel and (Duggan). They have adopted various musical styles throughout their history. Beginn ...

, Crybaby, Stackridge,

the Teardrop Explodes The Teardrop Explodes were an English post-punk/neo-psychedelic band formed in Liverpool in 1978. Best known for their Top Ten UK single " Reward", the group originated as a key band in the emerging Liverpool post-punk scene of the late 1970s. ...

and Sam Brookes. His album ''Eirenic Life'' was released on Helium Records on 14 July 2017.

References

External links

Official websitewebsite
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hughes, Chris Living people Adam and the Ants members English rock drummers English male drummers English record producers English male songwriters English new wave musicians Musicians from London New wave drummers 1954 births People educated at Emanuel School